If you told Toronto Maple Leafs fans their sixth- or seventh-best defenseman would be significantly responsible for two straight overtime goals in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs, you would’ve been asked to immediately take a sobriety test.
Lo and behold, Maple Leafs blueliner Simon Benoit – who had played exactly seven playoff games heading into this post-season, producing exactly zero playoff points in that span – was Thursday night’s hero. He scored the overtime-winner to put the Buds up 3-0 in their first-round series against the Ottawa Senators.
Benoit also set up center Max Domi for the overtime-winner in Game 2, getting the primary assist.
Now – and at the risk of tooting our own horn here – you can’t say everyone didn’t see the potential for Benoit to have a coming-out party. Indeed, in THN.com’s playoff poll, your humble senior digital correspondent picked Benoit as the unlikely playoff hero.
There was a legitimate reason why Benoit was our choice: as the regular season neared its end, Leafs coach Craig Berube was increasingly confident in Benoit.
Despite averaging only 16:33 of ice time in 78 games this season – slightly less than the 17:14 he averaged under former Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe in 2023-24 – Benoit averaged at least 19:44 in Toronto’s final five games of the regular season. In three of those five games, Berube gave Benoit at least 20:56 of ice time.
You can’t chalk that up to the Maple Leafs playing in games where they had nothing at stake. Toronto fought for top spot in the Atlantic Division right down to its second-last game of the season, so Berube went with the players he trusted most – and that included Benoit.
Despite Benoit’s unexpected success on offense against Ottawa, his excellent defensive play has earned him Berube’s trust.
During the season, Benoit averaged 2:05 of shorthanded time per game – the fourth-most on the team. While he was on the ice for slightly more chances against the Leafs during the PK, he was not far off the penalty-killing results of Chris Tanev and Jake McCabe. He also led the team in hits and was fourth in blocked shots. It’s not an accident that Benoit has become a key component of Toronto’s defense. He’s absolutely earned it.
Of course, the Leafs’ stingy defensive play is still a product of their top defensemen having sustained success defending their zone. Tanev, McCabe and Brandon Carlo are all doing their jobs in making life tough on Senators attackers. But with every shift he takes, in every game, Benoit is blossoming before our eyes. Given that he’s under contract for two more years at an average annual salary cap hit of $1.35 million, Benoit is turning into a bargain.
In 279 career regular-season NHL games, Benoit generated all of six goals. He may only produce at a similar rate through the rest of his career in hockey’s best league. But the playoffs are all about unlikely players stepping up and chipping in with much-needed offensive performances, and in Toronto’s strong playoff start, it’s Benoit who has emerged as a difference-maker.
Get the
latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by
subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below
the article on THN.com.
Read the full article here
